Compare towns
Middletown vs Mansfield vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middletown has the highest household income ($79k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
West Haven has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Middletown | Mansfield | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 47,958 |
25,358Lowest |
55,351Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest CT: +0.9% |
— | 0%Lowest CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 38.1±1.5Highest 7% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
35.8±1.5 13% below CT |
| Middletown and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±1.3 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
| Middletown and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.2% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.5%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$6kHighest 17% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$74,382±$5k 22% below CT |
| Middletown and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,300±$11k 20% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$291,700±$9kLowest 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,446±$45 about the CT average |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,442±$43Lowest 3% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,412 3% below CT |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±5.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 12%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
14.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.9% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 5 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 12% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
23 min 14% below CT |
| Work from home | 14.1%±1.8 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #121 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District |
| High school in town | Middletown High School | E. O. Smith High School | West Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
11.8Lowest |
15.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.